Fluid purifier



March 27, 1934.

E. WINSLOW FLUID PURIFIER Filed Feb. 28, 1929 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES FLUID romrmn Eugene A. Winslow,

San Francisco, Cali1'.,

aslslignor to Catherine B. Winslow, Canton, 0 o

Application February 28, 1929, Serial No. 343,440

23 Claims.

The purpose of the present invention is-to afford means whereby fluids and the like may be purified.

A further object of the invention relates to means for purifying fluids such as lubricating oil, etc. in combination with the operation of a hydrocarbon engine, such as lubricating systems, where oil is continually used and purified during ihe operation of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to create a means of automatically purifying and filtering fluids such as lubricating oil and air during the operation of a. hydrocarbon engine, wherein the oil is continuously used for lubrication in the engine during the process of refining and purifying, and the air is purified before entering the combustion chamber, by circulation throughthe invention.

A further object of the invention is to afiord a means whereby both liquids and gases may be filtered and purified while in continuous circulation, each aiding in the purification of the other.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood from the specification and the appended drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a modified form thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a section on lineAA of Fig. 2.

While the drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the forms shown which are only examples of the application of combining scientific principles of liquid purification into a compact, efficient, and automatic means of filtering, aerating, and separating foreign substances or impurities from fluids while said fiuids are in circulation and passing through the device.

Referring to Fig. 1: The device intended to be placed in the inlet passage of an internal combustioh engine or airpompressor and to purify all the air entering the apparatus, comprises a casing 73 provided with a partition 74 which divides the apparatus into two systems, an air cleaner and oil purifier. The casing '73 is slit in numerous places in a circumferential band as at 75 and the metal deformed forming louvres as at 20, 20. Over this zone of louvres, a c sectioned attached to the casing '13 within which, but spaced 6 apart therefrom, are attached by suitable means, such as the rolled ring 77, two flower-pot like shapes of wire netting 78, 79, one within the other as shown. The space between these wire nets is filled with a fibrous filter material 7, which may be hair, felt, vegetable fibres or shredded metal. Surmounting the conical filter is a retaining and oil distributing plate 5.

The apparatus is closed by a suitable domed closure 28 provided with an air outlet passage 17, a washing out cap 29 and an air hose connection 30. An annular channel 25 cast or corrugated into the metal and a baflle 26 form an oil trap which may drain through the passage 27 down onto the filter cones and filter body 7.

The upwardly extending pipe 3 capped by the spreader baflie 4 carries oil up onto the sprea plate 5.

An uprising extension of the partition 74 necked in to form the vertical baflle 22 surrounds, but is spaced apart from the dependent skirt baflie 21. At the bottom of the annular channel 80, forming adirt trap for the heavier particles, a lip 23 in the casing 73 is pushed out through which the dirt is discharged. Conduit 81, terminating in the valve casting 82, connects the riser 3 to the oil pply.

A filler pipe 35 is spot welded on the-case 73 and communicates through the orifice 83 with the clean oil space 84. A can 31 making a tight screw fit on the filler pipe 35 is provided with an air hose attachment nipple 36, and the nipple .cap 32.

Suitably attached to the inside of the casing 73 is a funnel shaped partition member 98 forming a tight partition but terminating in the dirty oil conduit 10. A perforated plate 13 is positioned just below the filler pipe inlet 35 and serves as a filter packing retainer. The bottom retainer 99 is stiff wire gauze held in position by the washer and nut assembly 38 threaded on the oil conmaking the primary fixed oil flow adjustment which is demanded by the individual motor.

The clean oil outlet 14 is provided with the stop cock 33 which is closed only when it is desired to clean out the apparatus.

A modified form of structure is shown in Fig. 2 which consists of a series of nested shells 72, 71, 89 and 69, one surmounting the other. A tube 90 extends longitudinally throughout the length of the shell 72, 71 and part way up that of 89. Part 69 is a dome-shaped cap provided, as at 52, with numerous slits which are spherical radii and extend around the whole part. The metal between these slits is tilted or deformed forming louvres through which the air is admitted to the device. A protective cap 50, dome-shaped and spaced apart from the louvre dome 69 prevents accumulations of coarse matter from being sucked into the apparatus. Part 89 is spun or formed out to form a charmel 48, the inner wall of which is formed by the configuration of the part 69. The bottom of the part 89 is made sharply concave and is provided at 54, 54 with a series of drain holes. A like part 71 forms the bottom member of the float chamber. Part 71 is spaced from the tube 90 by any suitable means and in the figure is shown spot-welded to a depending tube 91. This tube is threaded at the lower end and provided with a nut 730, locking the oil filter in place, as later will be described. Tube 91 is of a larger diameter than tube 90 and forms therefore clearance .channel 56 between the tubes 90 and 91. A filler spout 92 is welded on the casing 72 and is provided with a tight fitting cap 64, an air hose nipple 93 and cap 67. The oil filter structure 56 is comprised of a series of concentric convolutions of some stifi perforated material which may be wire gauze or perforated sheets. The material is covered with a fibrous filter pad which may be cloth, felted fibres, or even shredded metal. The filter medium 58 is held in place by the perforated oil spreader 61 and the nut 730 threaded on the tube 91. Oil outlet and shutoff is provided by the stop cock assembly welded or otherwise afixed to the case 72. Drain 66 is provided in the bottom of case 72, closed with a plug 65. As shown in the drawing, 62 is a cork float pivoted at the hinge pin 94 and Working against the needle valve 95. A valve 46 is also provided to allow a permanent adjustment to the requirements of the individual motor. The oil passing into the inlet 45 throttled by the needle valve 95 and further throttled bgnthe fixed adjustment 46 passes up through the oil inlet 47 and into the oil channel 48. The tube 90 is slit at its top and cut away into a bayonet lock allowing theanchor 96 to be inserted therein. The anchor 96 is given a helical configuration to aid in the flow lines established in the air chamber. The parts 50, 69, 89, 71 are held in a firmly locked oil tight relationship to the casing 72 by the wing nut 68 pulling through the bolt 97 against the anchor 96.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line A-A of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by arrows and illustrates a section of the removable upflow filter contained in the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine showing the invention in position thereon with parts broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

Referring now to Fig. 4 of the drawing, the reference character B designates a conventional internal combustion engine provided with a carburetor C and intake manifold D. Since the details of the engine constitute no part of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to further illustrate or describe the same.

In Fig. 1 a predetermined amount of oil is allowed to enter the device at coupling 1, the amount being adjusted by adjusting screw 2 and passing upwardly through central pipe 3 and downwardly under lower edges of bafiie cup 4, being spread out over perforated distributor and oil baflle plate 5 and downwardly through a plurality of orifices 6 on the outer edge of plate 5.

The orifices 6 deliver oil to the upper extremity of the fibrous material, air filter 7 where it flows downwardly by gravity, carrying with it impurities which may be lodged therein. The oil containing the impurities drains down through orifice 8 in the bottom of the air cleaner, thence through float chamber 9, into funnel 10, and into sludge or settling chamber 11, depositing impurities therein. Thence upwardly through the filtering chamber containing the filtering medium 12 and through perforated plate 13, constituting the upper wall of said filtering chamber, and returns to its source through valve 14, purified.

In operation, should the amount of oil being fed through regulator 2 be in excess of the oil filtering capacity of the device, float mechanism 15 automatically becomes a regulator, regulating the correct amount of oil being fed through the device when the level in the float chamber 9 reaches a point indicated by line 16.

Having thus described the flow of liquid through the device we will next describe the air.

As the engine draws its air supply from outlet pipe 17, air flows downwardly through inlet 18, and annular conveyor 19, thence through louvres 20, which impart a whirling motion, thereby said oil during its passage through the sludge chamber 11 and filtering medium 12. The air then passes upwardly through perforated oil distributor and baffle plate 5, and out through outlet 17.

On its passage through the filtering medium 7, it is caused to come in contact with the liquid impurities in the downwardly flowing oil and as the oil is exposed on a very large area, the inrushing air evaporates the lighter fractions contained therein such as water, fuel dilution, etc., where it is conveyed to the motor and used as fuel. However, when the device is not used in combination with a hydrocarbon engine, the lighter fractions can be condensedand used for other purposes. The inlet pipe 18 is shown on this form as it is sometimes desirable to use hot air in the process of refining of lighter fractions from fluids or for the installation of an extension pipe, as is preferable for use on tractors where it is desirable to draw air from a height above the tractor where less dust is encountered.

An oil trap is provided in the outlet at corrugation 25 lip 26 and drain tube 27, which serve to catch heavy bodied oil which either may be condensed or sprayed on the inner walls of top member 28. Thus should any oil be drawn up to pipe 1'7, it is trapped and returned to the top of the oil ,distributer batlle plate 5, through tube 27.

Clean out means are provided for both the air filter and oil filter by cap members 29, 30, 31 and 32. To clean out the oil filter it is only necessary to remove cap member 31, close outlet valve 33,

open drain valve 34, and pour fuel such as gasoline, etc; through filter pipe 35, over perforated plate 13, where it flows downwardly through the filtering medium 12, washing same clean, throug drain cock 34.

Should it be necessary, cap 31 can be replaced and an air or steam hose inserted over stand pipe 36, and the filter may be blown clean with pressure.

Should it be necessary to change filtering element 12, bottom member 3'1 can be removed from casing 40 and nut' 38 removed, which allows filtering element 12 to be withdrawn through the bottom of the casing. To clean the air filtering element it is only necessary to remove cap members 29 and 30, pour fuel such as gasoline, etc. through orifices 39 over baffle members 4 and 5, where it drains down through orifices 6 and through air filtering medium '7 and outwardly through the bottom of the device. Cap member 29 can be replaced, cap member 30 remov'ed,'and filtering medium 7 blown dry with air pressure, etc.

In the form of the invention shown at Fig. 2, in operation, a predetermined. amount of oil is 40 admitted through inlet connection 45, thence upwardly through regulator 46 and tube 47 and delivered into annular passage 48, where it meets the incoming air stream, which is being drawn through the device by suction of the engine on outlet pipe 49. The inlet air comes in under hood member 50 at 51 and through louvres 52,

v which impart to it a whirling motion. The bottom of said louvres extend approximately half way into annular passage 48, and the inrushing 50 air flowing between said louvres over said passage causes the oil at this level to be picked up and sprayed over the interior of the cleaner where it, containing its own impurities in the form of road dust, etc., intermingles with the 55 contaminated oil containing carbon,-fuel dilution, water, etc.

The air and oil are violently agitated and thrown by centrifugal force against the periphery of the interior at 53, where they drain down through orifices 54, through float chamber 55 and downwardly through annular passage 56 into sludge chamber 57, where heavier impurities are deposited, thence upwardly through removable upfiow filtering medium 58 and into chamber 59 through orifices 60, in perforated plate 61, thence through outlet valve '74 to its source, as refined, filtered, clean oil, for it is well known to the art that adding foreign materials to fluids, aids in filtering the same, and I accomplish these results as described here and previously in description of Fig. 1.

Should the amount of .oil allowed to flow through the device by regulator 46 exceed the capacity of the filtering member 58, float mechanism -62 automatically becomes the regulator of the amount of fluid passing through the device when the liquid level reaches line indicated at 63.

To clean the device it is only necessary to remove cap member 64 and drain plug 65, close outlet valve '74, and pour fuel such as gasoline, etc., through the same, which causes an outflow'on the filtering medium and washes collected impurities down through drain 66.

A pressure connection 67 is provided for blowing filtering medium out as explained previously in describing Fig. 1. Should it be necessary to remove filtering medium 58, or for other reasons, the device can be completely disassembled by simply breaking the union connection at 45 and removing wing nut 68 which permits the parts 50, 69, 70, 71 and the filtering medium 58 to be withdrawn from the casing 72. Nut 73 can be removed and a new filteringmedium installed.

This application is a substitution for application Ser..No. 163,725 for fluid purifiers filed January 26, 1927.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combinatiomwith the lubricating system of a hydro-carbon engine, a casing divided into compartments and having inlet and outlet ports and containing in one compartment a means of filtering out impurities from the lubricating oil and in another compartment a means of evaporating liquid diluents from the lubricating oil, and centrifugal means for removing foreign pariicles from air when same is drawn through the casing.

2. An oil and a r filtering device for hydrocarbon engines comprising achamber suitable for the mixture of oil and air, a second chamber open to the first comprising a float mechanism to control the fiow of said oil, and a third chamber open to the second comprising an oil filter, a means within the first chamber to cause separation in an evaporated form of liquid impurities from the lubricating oil, and a liquid trap means in the outlet from said chamber wherein liquids escaping from said chamber are trapped and returned to the said chamber, and an external 120 means adjacent to the chamber for controlling the flow of oil through the same.

3. In combination with a hydrocarbon engine, an 01 and air filtering device for hydrocarbon engines comprising a chamber adapted to cause mixture of oil and air while same are flowing through the chamber, a means to cause separation of said oil and air, a second chamber open to the first comprising an oil flow regulating means, a third chamber open to the second comprising an oil filter, a means of removing collected contamination from said third chamber, and a means adapted to permit the cleansing out of said filter with fluids.

4. In combination with a hydrocarbon engine 135 a chamber adapted to cause cleansing of air and evaporation of liqud diluents from oil, a second chamber open to the first containing an oil fiow regulating means, a third chamber open to the second and with a suitable outlet comprising an oil filtering means, aforesaid regulating means adapted to control the flow of oil through said filtering medium, and a means whereby said filterlng medium may be readily cleansed.

5. In combination with a hydrocarbon engine, a casing, means whereby oil and air are mixed in a turbulent state within said casing for removing impurities from the air supplied to said en gine, an oil filter within said casing, means for automatically regulating the flow of oil through 150 the casing to the capacity" of the oil filter in said device, and means whereby the filtering means contained in the device can be readily changed or cleansed.

' 6. In combination with a hydrocarbon engine, a fluid purifier containing a means of removing impurities from air passing therethrough, a means of causing oil from the lubricating system of a hydrocarbon engine to aid in the separation of impurities from said air stream by contact therew'th, and a means for automatically controlling the flow of oil from said lubricating system independent of the pressure therein.

7. .A device for purifying lubricants during the operation of a hydrocarbon engine-comprising a casing, means for supplying lubricant from the engine lubricating system to said casing, means for subjecting said lubricant to an evaporative flow' of air in one compartment and means for filtering the same in a second compartment.

8. A gas and oil filtering means for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing having vertical, slotted gas inlet ports about its circumference, an outlet from said casing connected to suction producing means, 011- inlet and outlet conduits, said gas ports forming means whereby gases are rotated at high velocity within said casing, the rotation of said gases causing a primary clean'ng of the same, means for further filtering said gases after said centrifugal cleaning, means for evaporating and separating liquid diluents from the oil flowing through said casing, on its passage over said second gas filtering means, and means for removing solid contamination from said oil.

9. In an internal combustion engine having inlet and exhaust passages, the combination of a casing adapted to be. connected to said inlet passage, an inlet passage for said casing through which air entering said engine must pass, pas sages leading to and from said cas'ng through which a regulatable proportion of liquid lubricant from said engine flows, means within said casing for separating impurities from the gaseous fluids by centrifugal force derived from the velocity of the gas alone, and means for separating the impurities from the liquid by evaporation and straining.

10. In an internal combustion engine having inlet and exhaust passages, the combination of a casing in the inlet passage through which air entering said engine must pass, passages leading to and from said casing through which a regulatable proportion of lubricating liquid from said 1 engine flows, means associated with said casing with ports arranged to cause the air to circulate at high centrifugal velocity within said casing, an oil inlet to said casing, an oil outlet therefrom, and means operable during the operation of said hydro-carbon engine for causing the separation of impurities from the air by contact with the oil and for causing the evaporation of diluting ingredients from the oil, and straining means located in a separate chamber of said casing for removing the impurities from the oil.

12. man internal combustion engine, the combination of a fluid purifier having suitable portsv for the passage of air, channels for the lubricating oil, said air ports being so' placed with reference to said oil channels to cause the air to lift said lubricating oil therefrom and toviolently mix together said air and oil during the operation of said engins whereby diluents contained in the lubricating oil are evaporated.

13. In an internal combustion engine having inlet and exhaust passages, the combination of a casing located in the said inlet passage, and

through which air necessary for combustion must flow, means associated with said casing for eliminating by centrifugal force heavier particles of foreign matter in said air, a filter for removing lighter particles from said-air, means including a fluid operative during the operation of said engine for wetting and washing down said fine particles from said filter, means for removing evaporable constituent impurities from said fluid, and means for filtering solid impurities from said fluid.

14. In an oil filter for internal combustion engines, a casi g, filter material fixed within said casing, an oil inlet and an oil outlet for said casing, a valve located in the oil outlet, a closable sludge drain and a cleansing fluid inlet communicating with the clean oil space of said filter, whereby, by the closing of said oil outlet valve, the opening of said sludge drain, and the application of cleaning liquid through said fluid inlet, the oil filter material is cleaned by the flow of liquid therethrough in a direction opposite to that of the normal oil flow.

15. In an oil filter for a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine, a casing, a filter element in said casing, means to deliver oil from said system to said casing, on one side of said element, means to conduct the filtered oil from the opposite side of said element said casing and means operated independently of the pressure on the oil for automatically controlling the flow of oil to said casing.

16. In an air cleaning device for internal combustion engines, a casing having a channel for containing oil, means associated with said casing for causing dust laden air entering the casing to life oil from the channel during the operation of said engines, and to mix and intermingle said air'and oil therewith, means for causing the mixture to rotate about an axis to remove by centrifugal action the foreign particles of oil and dust from said air, and means for conducting the cleaned air'from said casing.

17. In combination, a casing, air cleaning means within said casing, oil filtering means within said casing, passages for conducting oil to and from said casing, and conduits for conducting a fluid to said casing on one side of said oil filtering means and from said casing from the other side thereof, whereby a fluid may be forced through said conduits and through said oil filtering means in a direction contra to the.

normal fiowof oil therethrough for cleaning said oil filtering means.

18. In combination with a hydro-carbon engine, a casing adapted to be placed in the intake passage thereof, having passages through which the air entering the engine and the lubricating oil of said, engine may flow, means within the casing to cause the airand the oil to be violently agitated together, whereby the air is freed from suspended solids and the oil is contaminated therewith, said means being adapted to separate the oil from the air, and means to remove the contamination from the oil.

19. In a fluid purifier the combination with a casing having inlet and outlet passages for liquid and gases, a filter located near one end of said casing, means for delivering oil to'said filter, said filter and oil removing the impurities from the air or gas passing therethrough and through the casing and thereby causing an evaporation of the fluid impurities from the oil, a settling chamber located adjacent said filter for receiving the oil delivered therefrom, an oil filtering chamber located adjacent the settling chamber and having communication therewith for delivery of oil from the settling chamber,

- and filtering means located in the filtering chamber for removing the impurities from saidoil.

20. In a fluid purifier the combination with a casing having inlet and outlet passages for liquids and gases, a filter located near one end of said casing, means for delivering oil to said filter, said filter and oil removing the impurities from the air and gas passing therethrough and through the casing and thereby causing an evaporation of the fiuid impurities from the oil, and fixed means in said casing located in the path of the gas passing through the filtering element for imparting centrifugal action thereto for eliminating the impurities therefrom, a settling chamber located adjacent to said filter for receiving the oil delivered therefrom, an oil filtering chamber located adjacent the settling chamber and having communication therewith for delivery of oil from the settling chamber, filtering means located in the filtering chamber for removing the impurities from said oil.

21. A fluid purifier comprising a gas filter element through which the gas is adapted to pass, means for supplying oil to said element for removing the impurities from the gas passing therethrough, the passage of said gas through said element causing an evaporation of diluentfi contained in said oil, a settling compartment for receiving said oil issuing from said element, an oil filter through which the oil from said compartment is caused to flow for removing the impurities from said oil preparatory to reusing the same.

22. An oil and air filtering device for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing, filter material within said casing, means within said casing causing air entering said casing to rotate for separating dust particles therefrom by centrifugal action before the air enters said filter material, means for supplying oil to said material and means for filtering said oil after it passes from said material.

23. A filter for internal combustion engines comprising a casing, a hollow filter element associated with said casing, a conduit in communication with the interior of said hollow filter element for conducting filtered air therefrom, a sump in the lower portion of said filter, means associated with said casing for causing the air to rotate before it enters said filter element for removing the dirt and dust therefrom by centrifugal action and a conduit for supplying oil to said filter element for wetting the same and for washing foreign matter collected on said filter element into said sump.

EUGENE A. WINSLOW. 

